Abstract
The leaf of Erythrophleum africanum was exhaustively extracted with ethanol using cold maceration techniques. This was subsequently partitioned with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethylacetate and nbutanol. The agar diffusion method was used to determine the antimicrobial activity against the following micro-organisms eithicillin resistant Staphylococus, Staphylococcus aureaus, Streptococcus feacalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Proteus vulgaris, Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis . Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined. The in vitro antimicrobial screening revealed that the extracts exhibited diverse activities against different microbes with zones of inhibition ranging from 12 to 36 mm, MIC ranging from 3.25 to 60 mg/ml and MBC/MFC of 3.25 to 60 mg/ml for sensitive organisms at the tested concentrations. The activities observed could be attributed to the presence of terpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins. The results justify the ethnomedicinal use of this plant in the treatment of sores, boils, wounds, dysentery, diarrhea and sexually transmitted infections. Keywords: Erythrophleum africanum , phytochemistry, antimicrobial activity African Journal of Biotechnology , Vol. 13(4), pp. 598-603, 22 January, 2014
Highlights
Despite the tremendous progress in human medicine, infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites are still a major threat to public health
Fresh plant material E. africanum was obtained from Nimbia forest in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria
Results obtained in this study indicated that the various extracts of E. africanum inhibited the growth of some of the micro- organism except S. feacalis, S. typhi and C. krusei
Summary
Despite the tremendous progress in human medicine, infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites are still a major threat to public health. The leaf decoction of this plant is well known by the traditional healers in Congo, (Democratic Republic of Congo), Zaire, Eastern province of Cameroun and India who used it empirically for several ailment including cardio vascular disease, various inflammation, diabetes, simple goiter, dysentery, diarrhea and as an astringent (Dalziel, 1999). This plant is reported to contain flavonoids and anthocyanidins and as such was used as a tooth pick for oral hygiene (Nwude and Chineme, 1981; Watt and Bayer Bmadwyle, 1962; Burkill, 1995). We decided to screen the leaf part of this plant with a view to validate the folkloric claim
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